Carbon-containing refractories have been widely used in various high-temperature processes including steel and iron making processes. A typical composition for forming a carbon-containing refractory comprises a carbon-containing refractory matrix material and a binder, and a phenolic resin has been conventionally used as the binder due to good compatibility, dispersability, press-moldability, strength, and high residual carbon after firing.
However, the phenolic resin binder has a serious disadvantage in that it releases harmful decomposition gases including benzene, toluene, phenol and xylenol when heat-treated or fired at a high temperature.
In order to solve such environmental pollution, U.S. Pat. No. 6,136,227 suggested a carbon-containing refractory composition comprising saccharified starch and/or reduced saccharified starch as a binder. However, this composition has the disadvantage that saccharified starch and/or reduced saccharified starch leads to refractories having poor thermal properties and corrosion resistance.